In laboratory work, multi-channel pipettors are designed to enable laboratory workers to transfer multiple samples or reagents from one series of containers to another series of containers, such as from one set of wells in a micro titer plate to another micro titer plate. Multichannel liquid aspirating & dispensing instruments, or pipettors, capable of aspirating and dispensing single or multiple channels at a time, typically 1, 8, 12, 96, 384 & 1536 channels at a time and moving to a plurality of microplate stations. Many multi-channel pipettors rely on electronically controlled stepper motors to control piston movement for aspirating and dispensing.
The spacing between individual channels is fixed to accommodate the ANSI SBS microplate standards. Precision and accuracy, especially in dispensing, are the basic driving specifications required by those in the biological sciences laborites. Values of <10% at volumes down to 1 micro liter are considered good.
Thus the market is left with single row manual or powered units, or instruments that are big, heavy & expensive as they are intended to be used in an automated environment. What is required is a portable, semi or fully automated multi-channel pipettor that overcomes the many complications and limitations of the previous systems.